Oil Pulling (Gandusha): How to Do It, Which Oil, What Research Says

Dry mouth, coated tongue, bleeding gums and stale breath are common, and many of us brush hard and still feel the mouth is never quite clean. Ayurveda has an old answer that costs almost nothing: keep oil in your mouth for a few minutes every morning. Daisy does this daily, while she gets ready. This guide covers the method, the oils, the cautions and what studies say.

What is oil pulling?

Oil pulling means holding or swishing edible oil in your mouth for several minutes and then spitting it out. Ayurveda gives it two names. Gandusha fills the mouth fully, so the oil cannot move. Kavala uses less oil, leaving room to swish it around.

Both are described in the classical texts. According to Dr J V Hebbar, an Ayurvedic doctor, the Charaka Samhita says daily sesame oil pulling keeps the lips from cracking, the voice deep and the teeth firmly rooted. That is tradition, not a trial result. The modern studies come later in this guide.

How oil pulling fits into Ayurveda

Ayurveda sees oil pulling as part of dinacharya, the daily routine. It sits beside oil massage, nasal oil drops and bathing. The idea is that the mouth is a gateway, and oil keeps it moist, clean and strong.

Dr Hebbar describes the classical method. You sit in a draught-free spot with your face slightly lifted. You hold the liquid until the mouth fills with fluid or the nose and eyes begin to water, and then spit it out. Ayurveda also changes the liquid to suit the person. Oily, lubricating preparations are used for vata, the dry air-and-space dosha. Soothing ones suit pitta, the heat dosha. Sharper, warming ones suit kapha, the heavy and sticky dosha.

Which oil should you use?

Start with a plain edible oil. Sesame is the classical choice, and half the trials in a recent review used it. Coconut is the other oil with trial data. Dr Hebbar also suggests coconut, olive or almond oil for people with a lot of pitta heat.

Daisy uses a herbal blend. She mixes 1 part Arimedadi thailam with 4 parts sesame oil, because Arimedadi is concentrated. Arimedadi thailam is a medicated oil that Dr Hebbar calls the most common herbal oil prescribed for oil pulling. In her morning routine video, Daisy says she uses the Kottakkal brand. She keeps the blend in a bottle and puts it straight into her mouth.

In cold weather, warm the oil slightly. Dr Hebbar says a little warmth helps in winter.

How to do it step by step

The routine card above gives the order. A few details make it easier.

• Choose an empty stomach. Dr Hebbar says this is best, and it avoids stomach upset.
• Fill your mouth comfortably. Do not force a large amount.
• Swish softly. Hard swishing tires the jaw and can make you gag.
• Spit into a bin or tissue. Oil can block drains.
• Wash your face and rinse with lukewarm water. Brush after, as rinsing alone is not enough, says Dr Hebbar.

How often? Ayurveda lists oil pulling as a daily habit, and Dr Hebbar says it can be done daily over a lifetime. Most trials ran from one to eight weeks, so they say little about years of use. If your mouth feels sore, your throat feels coated or you feel sick, stop for a few days and try a smaller amount.

Who should be careful?

Never swallow the oil. Doctors have reported rare cases of lipoid pneumonia, a lung inflammation caused by oil entering the airways, after months of sesame oil pulling. If you cough or choke easily, or have trouble swallowing, skip it.

Young children may swallow the oil, so it is not for them. The Austrian trial team also noted that people with keratosis, a thickening of the skin’s surface, may have adverse effects. If you have gum disease, loose teeth or mouth lesions, ask your dentist first. If you take medicine for a long-term condition, keep your doctor in the loop.

What research says

The research is promising but weak. An 8-week trial in Innsbruck gave 40 people sesame oil or distilled water, 15 minutes each morning. Plaque fell more with oil, by a median of about 19 percent against 10 percent. Gum bleeding did not change, and the authors said bias could not be ruled out.

A review of 25 trials found a probable benefit for gum health, but rated the evidence very low in certainty. Chlorhexidine mouthwash was better than oil pulling at cutting plaque. A separate review of four coconut oil trials, with 182 people over 7 to 14 days, found lower plaque and fewer bacteria in saliva. It also called the studies mixed in quality and high in risk of bias.

So the fair reading is that oil pulling may be a cheap add-on to brushing. It is not a cure. The studies above measured plaque, gum health and bacteria counts. They did not test claims about clearing toxins from the body.

Daisy’s tips

• Do the tongue cleaning first, then oil pull, then brush with tooth powder.
• Dilute concentrated Arimedadi thailam with plain sesame oil, 1 part to 4.
• Use the swishing time to get ready, so it costs you no extra minutes.
• Use only a little tooth powder, about half to three-quarters of a teaspoon, with a few drops of water.
• Take the essentials of her routine and adjust them to your body and work hours.

Daisy also keeps a playlist of oiling practices on her channel, including oil pulling. Watch her morning routine below to see how oil pulling fits into her day. It takes about 27 minutes.